Barroso pleit voor meer EU-bevoegdheden op justitie-gebied bij start Fins voorzitterschap (en)

SPEECH/06/432

José Manuel Barroso

President of the European Commission

European Parliament Plenary Session

Strasbourg, 5 July 2006

Mr President, Prime Minister, honourable members

I am delighted that after the excellent Austrian Presidency, we can now work in tandem with the Finns. In Helsinki a few days ago, Prime Minister Vanhanen and I agreed that our two teams should work as one. Let us join efforts, between the Presidency, Commission and I may also say the Parliament. Europe needs the clear harmony, the dynamic harmony which Finland brings.

I welcome the presentation by Prime Minister Mr Vanhanen. He has shown that the next six months presents an opportunity to demonstrate what we mean when we talk about a "Europe of results"; to deliver on important dossiers of concern to our citizens; to move towards the next stage in the constitutional debate; to steer the discussion on enlargement. In short, to follow the twin track approach which I outlined to this House last month, an approach that was endorsed by the European Council; to move from a period of reflection to a period of engagement.

Let me pick up some, just some of the themes raised by Prime Minister Vanhanen.

Enlargement

First, enlargement. Let me start with a simple, important point: Enlargement is one of the most successful policies of the EU, an extraordinary achievement in exporting freedom and opportunity across our Continent. Many of us here today have benefited from this policy. We should be proud of our enlargement policy.

So I was very pleased that the last European Council reaffirmed that we will honour existing commitments.

But on enlargement, as on so much of European policy making, there is a popular debate with which we must engage. I welcome that debate. I want that debate. It is important to show that Europe does not enlarge by default. That enlargement is a conscious choice. That it is of benefit to all. That far from being a negative factor, an enlarged Europe is a precondition for a powerful Europe. For a Europe that really counts in world.

That is why the Commission will, this autumn, report on the enlargement process as a whole, including the capacity of an enlarged Europe to function properly, to set up the debate at the December European Council. This will be a serious, rigorous exercise. Nothing else would satisfy the public demand for more certainty and confidence.

We must take the same, serious and correct approach to Turkey. I welcome that negotiations are underway. It will be a long road; sometimes a very bumpy one. What matters is that we are open, honest and fair. Turkey must fulfil its commitments, just as the EU must fulfil its commitments. Turkey's commitments include respect for the Ankara protocol.

Russia and Northern Dimension

Mr President, honourable members,

Each Presidency brings its own particular expertise to the European Union. In Finland's case, it brings a deep knowledge of and cooperation with its neighbours, including Russia.

I strongly support the emphasis placed by the Presidency on the relationship with Russia. Earlier this week the Commission adopted a recommendation for a comprehensive agreement that will bring, we hope because it is in our interests and Russia's interests, a new quality to EU-Russia relations, building on the existing partnership and cooperation agreement. We propose to move towards a free trade area to be completed once Russia accedes to the WTO. At the same time, we propose a partnership approach for energy, based on mutual interests and agreed principles.

Prime Minister Vanhanen and I will travel to St Petersburg next week for the G8 summit to determine, I hope, a new framework for the global energy challenges which require a global response. For energy, as for environment, we need this global response. We will follow this up in turn at the October and December European summits. It is clear that on Russia, as on so many external issues, Europe has greater power when it works in a united and coherent way. And I hope the member states will approach this in the same way.

As well as Russia, the Commission looks forward to the Finnish Presidency taking forward the negotiations on the next generation of Northern Dimension Partnerships. The ultimate result should be a shared policy with common ownership by all actors, including Russia. Then Northern Dimension would become a permanent forum on Northern issues and concerns. In this context the Commission has taken good note of this Parliament's aspiration to establish a parliamentary forum.

The New Lisbon Strategy

Mr President, honourable members

The European economy is picking up pace. This is good news, I welcome the Finnish Presidency's intention to drive forward the new Lisbon Strategy and to focus on research, innovation and education - the knowledge triangle.

In this area, as others, we must move from reflection to engagement, to real delivery. Political support must now be translated into concrete actions which create a more innovative climate in Europe.

My Commission will prepare a short paper on innovation to prepare the Lahti informal summit. We must promote the European Research Area, including the European Institute of Technology which will be a flagship project and symbol of the knowledge based European economy. We must accelerate the drive to ensure open and interoperable standards and promote those standards world-wide. We must promote effective mechanisms - like venture capital - to finance innovation by European companies, including SME's.

Improving security and justice

Last week the Commission adopted proposals for an ambitious programme for increased security and more efficient justice for Europe's citizens, in a way which respects - and protects - their rights.

This is a key feature of our Europe of Results agenda. I share the Finnish Presidency's determination to move this dossier forward. The EU will return to Tampere, for the informal Justice and Home Affairs Council in September, to deepen European integration in this crucial area.

The case for deeper and more dynamic European action is clear:

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  Against those who plot against our values, freedom and democracy.
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  Against those who traffic in human beings, especially women and children.
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  Against illegal immigration and those who exploit people in the workplace.

We should not wait for the next tragedy in order to advance European integration in these areas; we must act now to prevent it.

And we must implement better what already exists. For example:

Everybody agrees that sexual exploitation of children is a repugnant crime. Yet, only five countries have transposed the framework directive.

Everybody agrees on the need to act against terrorism and organised crime. Yet several Member States have not transposed effectively key legislation, such as the Framework Decision on Terrorism.

Improve the decision-making process

To achieve our goals, we must improve our procedures. It is not coherent to proclaim the ends, on the fight against crime, terrorism, illegal immigration, but not provide the means.

The Commission believes the "Community method", including proper European democratic scrutiny by this Parliament, should be spread to police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters and legal migration. That is what we said in our Citizens' Agenda paper of the 10th of May. We are therefore now proposing to use the existing Treaty articles to make this change. The Commission is opening the inter-institutional debate and, based on the results of this debate, we will present formal proposals and I very much welcome the clear remarks made just now by Prime Minister Vanhanen.

I know there are political sensitivities. But our procedures must catch up with reality.

Any step we take to improve our cooperation in security and justice matters must be matched with an extended protection of the individual citizen's human and civic rights. This is for us a question of principle.

Law is the source of strength in the European Union; not inter-governmental back-room deals outside parliamentary scrutiny and judicial review.

That is why I welcome the comments just made by Prime Minister Vanhanen. Transparency, subsidiarity and better regulation should not just be seen as technical matters. They are also political issues. They are a question of democratic scrutiny.

Closure

I have picked out only a few of the priorities of the Finnish Presidency. There are other priorities we fully share, including matters of immediate concern, such as the deadlock in the Doha trade round.

The last few Presidencies have helped the EU resolve internal problems, or lay the path towards their resolution. Now we need a change of gear, from Reflection to Engagement, to a Europe which is looking forwards and outwards.

I welcome this. Let us renew our energies to engage more deeply, more coherently and more effectively with the world around us. By exporting our values, by promoting our interests in the world, we can strengthen our own identity and confidence. I look forward to doing just that in the next six months with the Finnish Presidency and with Prime Minister Vanhanen.

Thank you.